Essential Public Health Service #5:

Refresher - Why learn the 10 Essential Public Health Services?  Improve quality and performance.  Achieve better outcomes – improved health, less preventable deaths and disease.  Be more efficient with time and money.  Receive national accreditation.

ES #5: Policy Development

What is a “policy”?  Deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes  Similar to rules or laws. Law compels or prohibits behaviors (e.g. a law requiring the payment of taxes on income)  Guides actions toward those that are most likely to achieve a desired outcome.

What is the benefit of setting policy? Guides the process of making important organizational decisions

Who sets policy?  The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and groups, and individuals.  Examples :  President or governor executive orders;  Corporation – business executive orders  Organization’s rules of order for meetings

Types of policies  Education – admissions; dress codes  Economic – just in time supplying  Energy – drilling for new oil  Environmental - windmill farms;  Safety – Handrails in LTC facilities; hospital bed rails  Health – Indiana HIP  Human Resource – college degree for specific jobs

General Public Health Policies:  Vaccinations  Fluoride in drinking water  No smoking  Data mining  INShape Indiana  Childhood Lead Poisoning screening  Walking trails  Stockpiling food for emergencies

ES #5:Key Functions  Protect health and guide public health practice  Community and state planning  Alignment of resources to assure successful planning  Facilitate democratic process of dialogue and debate with and among groups affected by policies/plans prior to adoption

ES#5 : Some activities to develop plans/ policies To develop health policy or plans :  Rely on appropriate data  Develop measurable health objectives  Determine strategies/actions to implement plans.

ES #5: Who are ISDH partners?  Legislature  Business and regulated industries  City/county councils  Program partners – advisory boards  Community-based organizations  Advocacy groups  Consumers, priority populations  Other examples?

To Achieve ES#5 Model Standard 1: Planning/Implementation Need to ask ourselves, do we:  Have a statewide health improvement plan?  Establish /maintain PH emergency response capacity?  Raise awareness of needed PH policies?

To Achieve ES#5 Model Standard 2: State-Local Relationships Need to ask ourselves, do we:  Provide TA/training to LPH systems to develop health improvement plans?  Provide assistance to develop local All-Hazards Preparedness Plans?  Provide technical assistance and support for conducting local health policy development?

To Achieve ES#5 Model Standard 3: Performance Mgmt./QI. Need to ask ourselves, do we:  Regularly monitor state’s progress on health improvement objectives?  Review new/existing policies to determine their PH impact?  Conducted exercises /drills to test preparedness response capacity?  Manage overall performance of policy/planning activities for quality improvement?

To Achieve ES#5 Model Standard 4: Public Health Capacity Resources Need to ask ourselves,do we:  Commit adequate $$ to develop and implement health policies/plans?  Align state-wide partnerships  Use skills in long-range planning  Obtain public participation?

Ten Essential Services – Indiana’s Composite Scores

ES #5: Policy Development by Model Standard

ES #5 Competencies – Analytical/assessment skills  Able to define a problem  Recognizes how data illuminate ethical, political, scientific, economic, and overall public health issues

ES #5 Competencies – Program Planning Skills  Collect, summarize, interpret relevant information  Articulate health, fiscal, administrative, legal, social, political implications of policy options  State the feasibility and expected outcomes of policy options  Decide on course of action  Translate policy into plans

References  CDC National Public Health Performance Standards Program Website: PublicHealthServices.htm#es2 PublicHealthServices.htm#es2  Council on Linkages Training Project Website: st_ephs.htm#2 st_ephs.htm#2  Indiana Public Health System Quality Improvement Report (2007).

ES #5: Policy Development What does your program do to implement Essential Service #5?